Pre-Registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician (Apprenticeship)

NHS Jobs; Harrogate; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Jobs is recruiting for a Pre-Registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician (Apprenticeship). The two-year program blends rotations across Community Pharmacy and General Practice to develop the knowledge and competencies required for GPhC accreditation and eventual registration as a Pharmacy Technician.

The trainee studies one day per week (plus sessions) and completes workplace competencies, learning patient-facing skills, medicines management and audits under supervision to support safe,

Qualifications

• The role is a structured apprenticeship path toward GPhC-accredited qualification.
• Rotational training across Community Pharmacy and General Practice.

Responsibilities

• Study for one day a week over two years to complete PTPT apprenticeship.
• Complete rotations in Community Pharmacy and General Practice with supervision, including dispensing, patient counselling, and medicines management.
• Learn Medicines Optimisation, support safe prescribing practices, and participate in audits and reviews.

Job description

Pre-Registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician (Apprenticeship)

Job Purpose Under the support and guidance of Pharmacy and Practice staff, and through a structured rotational training program with Community Pharmacy and General Practice the post holder will: develop the knowledge, skills and competencies to achieve a General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) - accredited course or approved qualification within the Pharmacy Technician apprenticeship pathway, to support registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council complete the required competencies in the workplace to achieve the PTPT apprenticeship and will complete the learning organised by the training provider using agreed weekly study day/session(s) and study in personal time. ensure knowledge, attitudes and behaviour follow the General Pharmaceutical Councils Standards for Pharmacy Professionals during the two-year training programme in order that they can seek a declaration of competence from supervising pharmacy professional in all sectors, as required for registration. Key responsibilities To study for one day a week or equivalent to achieve the Pre-Registration Pharmacy Technician training programme over a two-year duration and complete the PTPT apprenticeship. To complete rotations in Community Pharmacy for a period of training delivered weekly under the supervision of Pharmacy staff, including dispensing, checking, and issuing medicines, counselling patients on how to use their medicines, stock management, reconciliation of medicines, Over the Counter (OTC) sales for minor ailments, medicines review, and enhanced services e.g., stop smoking services. To complete rotations in General Practice for a period of training as defined in the training plan; delivered weekly or in a block responding to a prescription requests, reviewing hospital discharge/clinical letters and reconciling medication against current medications highlighting discrepancies under the supervision of the Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician, completing audits under the supervision of a Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician. To gain knowledge of diseases, basic treatments and the actions and uses of drugs. To answer basic pharmaceutical queries under supervision. To learn about and contribute to the objectives for safe patient care in all workplaces. To support team values to ensure the maintenance of the highest professional standards. General Practice Responsibilities To always work under the supervision of the Pharmacy professional and liaison with other Practice staff. To always follow all workplace Standard Operating Procedures. To learn about Medicines Optimisation and how Pharmacy Technicians contribute to General Practice. This will involve working in General Practice in a patient facing role and with telephone contact. To use the surgery computer system to record information & consultations, run searches and send tasks to other healthcare professionals. To respond to prescription requests from community patients, nursing/care home staff, pharmacy staff and GPs, processing them with 48 hours for routine prescriptions and same day for urgent prescriptions. This can include re-routing prescriptions to out of hours pharmacies for same day delivery. To learn about and be involved with the use of practice templates to record patient monitoring for high-risk drugs. To learn about and be involved in monitoring blood tests, recalls and reviews using established protocols and involvement of the appropriate clinician. To review hospital discharge notifications / clinical letters and reconcile medication against current medications, highlighting discrepancies to the pharmacist/ designated GP under supervision. To help support practice prescribing budgets by on-going monitoring, audit and analysis of drug use and support practices in reviewing, developing and enhancing cost-effective prescribing. This includes staying aware of latest prescribing improvement targets. To assist pharmacists / clinical staff help with annual medication reviews e.g., Asthma assisting with information to ensure prescribing of most cost-effective formulary product and observing patients have good inhaler technique under supervision. Conduct regular audits on medicines storage ensuring local and national guidelines are adhered to and issues are reported to the appropriate manager. To ensure medicines in the surgery are checked and out of date stock is identified and disposed of in an appropriate and timely manner and disposed of according to SOPs. To utilise resources to promote the reduction of medicines waste. To conduct face to face & telephone interventions (as outlined by the pharmacist) with patients and ensure consultations are recorded and reported to the pharmacist or designated GP. To complete prescribing audits to monitor and analyse individual practice / primary care network prescribing performance and trends against local and national targets, presenting information and data and identifying priority areas for action. To support prescribing clerks by helping with queries relating to prescription requests. To look for ways to improve efficiency and safety of the prescription ordering process, ensuring queries are resolved and scripts issued in line with timeframe in the practice procedure working with the practice pharmacist. To participate in practice clinical meetings, patient participation groups and other meetings to improve engagement of the role of the Pharmacy Technician within the GP model and to promote issues relevant to prescribing and medicines optimisation. To support the pharmacist in implementing drug withdrawals and alerts e.g., MHRA alerts and medicine shortages. To inspire the patient population with seasonal health information campaigns, creating displays throughout the year e.g., Stop Smoking, Antibiotic Awareness, annual Flu campaign. To promote digital solutions including Patient Access, NHS App, Electronic Repeat Dispensing to patients and practice staff as required by Practice Manager. To liaise with the Medicines in Care Home pharmacist to shadow their role and understand the role of pharmacists / pharmacy technicians including medication reconciliation and providing support and advice to Care Homes. Community Pharmacy Responsibilities To work under the supervision of the Supervising Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician at all times. To follow all workplace Standard Operating Procedures at all times. To learn about Medicines Optimisation and how Pharmacy Technicians contribute to Community Pharmacy services. This will involve a patient-facing role. To assist the Pharmacist in retrieving electronic prescriptions (EPS) as per SOPs. To receive prescriptions and ensure they are legal and valid and advise patients on completing the declaration. To use the Pharmacy computer system to record Patient Medication Records and create labels. To dispense prescriptions including FP10s & Private Prescriptions and monitored dosage systems (MDS) and confirm accuracy as per community / dispensing pharmacy SOPs. To issue prescriptions and counsel patients on how to use their medicines. To dispose of returned and unwanted medication as per SOPs. To record controlled drugs in the controlled drugs register and conduct controlled drug balance checks as per SOPs. To order, receive, store, and maintain stock as per SOPs. To support the community pharmacist with medicines reconciliation in accordance with protocols, highlighting discrepancies to ensure patients medication records are up to date and liaising with general practice to ensure the correct medicines are continued following transfer of care. To complete OTC sales and recommendations for common minor ailments under the supervision of a Pharmacist / trained Pharmacy staff. To support the Pharmacist to complete Medication Use Reviews (MURs), New Medicines Service (NMS) and Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS) To support the Pharmacist to complete commissioned enhanced services e.g., stop smoking services, under the supervision of Pharmacy Staff. To liaise with General Practice regarding prescription issues. Other duties: To document errors and support process review and improvement to reduce internal and external error rates in accordance with clinical governance guidelines. To take responsibility for specific areas of work or projects as may be agreed from time to time including contributing towards team goals and objectives. It is expected that the post-holder will divide their annual leave entitlement equally (as reasonable) between the sectors. To undertake all duties as required by the supervising pharmacy professional appropriate to the grade and relevance to the post.Research & Audit: To assist Pharmacy Technicians & General Practice Pharmacists in the completion of audits as required. Training & Development: To study using online resources one day each week (or equivalent). To commit to study at home where necessary. To complete mandatory training and other statutory training at all workplaces. To complete local competency-based assessments where necessary. To ensure that you meet the minimum number of hours work based experience, as stated by the General Pharmaceutical Council, to enable you to register as a qualified Pharmacy Technician.